Beyond the Shining Lights (Percy Jackson Barbie's Mariposa AU)

Chapter 12

"Is this it?" Clarisse asked cautiously, looking at the walls of the long cavern they had just entered.

"I think so..." Annabeth said, lightly touching the walls and staring at her own reflection. "I mean... The place is called the Cave of Reflection, right? Everything in here is reflective."

"And it has these weird shiny things floating around." Rachel said, swatting at a tiny floating light.

"Watch those mitts!" The tiny light said as Piper looked closer at it. "You could hurt someone."

"Guys, it's a tiny fairy!" Piper said excitedly as the small figure started to come into focus of a fairy around the same size as everyone else.

Once she was bigger, Annabeth could clearly see that it was a girl with dark red hair and silver eyes. "I am Artemis, the keeper of this cave. Are you the ones who wish to enter my cave?"

"Yes, we are." Annabeth said, standing up a little straighter.

"Hmm..." Artemis said, looking at the group. "One, two, three, four, five. Nope. That's too many. One of you must stay here."

Everyone froze, looking at the other members of the group, before Rachel flew forward. "I'll stay."

"Rachel, are you sure?" Clarisse asked.

"It's technically not my home that needs saving." Rachel said, looking at everyone with an understanding smile on her face. "You guys need to be the saviors, not me, a tree fairy who doesn't even live in Halfling. I'm staying here."

"Very well." Artemis said, conjuring up a force field that seperated Rachel from the rest of the group. "The rest of you, come with me."

The four others nervously followed, looking between each other. Annabeth looked over at Artemis. "We're here for the ilios-"

"Speak not of what you need to find." Artemis interrupted. "Just listen."

"She was just going to ask a question." Clarisse said angrily. "Why can't you-"

"Now, someone else must stay behind." Artemis interrupted, turning around to face the group.

"I'll stay." Clarisse said, flying away from the group. "You not answering my questions is just going to make me more and more angry so I'm gonna stay here and away from you."

"Very well." Artemis said as another force field seperated Clarisse from the group.

"Are we sure that this is where the mermaids told us to go?" Piper asked Silena as the three continued down the path.

"Yes." Piper's voice rung out. "This is exactly where they told you to go."

"Did you just answer yourself?" Annabeth asked.

"Of course not." Annabeth's voice responded. Annabeth looked over at the wall and saw her reflection moving on it's own. "Her reflection did, silly."

"That's freaky." Silena said uneasily.

"Not as freaky as your relationship with that guy on the royal guard." Silena's reflection sneered.

"Ah!" Piper shrieked as she quickly flew to where Artemis was stopped. "Get away get away get away!"

"Only two of you can continue now." Artemis said stoically.

"If I stop, will my reflection go away?" Piper asked.

"Only one way to find out..."

"I'm staying!" Piper yelled as the force field seperated her from the group.